This week's column:
How to help animals traumatized by disasters
We've decided to forgo answering individual letters this week in hopes of serving a larger cause. As most of you know, Hurricane Katrina is now (Monday, Aug. 29) over the Gulf Coast of the United States. Cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; and towns and cities from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana are being hit by this massive hurricane. As a result, humans are being told to evacuate their homes and go inland or to shelters set up for them to be safe during the storm.
Unfortunately, a lot of disaster shelters and hotels or motels don't take animals, so lots of people have had to leave their cats and dogs and livestock behind as they evacuated. What this means is that these domestic animals have to fend for themselves as best they can until such a time as their humans are able to return.
The good news is that most of these animals will survive, provided the weather doesn't get too severe and they are able to find potable water to drink. However, they will most certainly be scared and traumatized by being left alone to weather the storm.
In hopes of helping the humans and animals of the Gulf Coast pick up the pieces after it's safe for them to return home, we are going to talk about some ways to help your pet (and perhaps even yourself) recover from the trauma of Hurricane Katrina. This advice will help anyone whose animals have been traumatized, so please, even if you're not a Gulf Coast resident, feel free to read on.
Sinéad: The first thing you can do to help both yourself and your animal companions is to get a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy. This is a flower essence, preserved in an alcohol base, designed to help the body recover from the physical and emotional effects of shock and trauma. It can be found in most health food stores and sometimes even in drugstores. Mama has given it to us on occasion, and we can testify that it works on animals as well as on people. Kaetheryn Walker, a veterinary homeopath who has published a couple of books on the subject, even recommends Rescue Remedy as part of a standard animal first aid kid.
Siouxsie: For animals, the best way to administer this remedy is to rub one drop for small dogs and cats; two drops for large dogs; three drops for goats, pigs or other small livestock; or four drops for horses or large livestock, on the skin of the inside of the ear flap. The remedy will be absorbed through the skin, and the petting and stroking will also help your animal calm down. Do not rub Rescue Remedy into any open sores, though, because it will sting. While you're at it, take two drops of Rescue Remedy yourself, under the tongue.
Thomas: For frequency of dosing, follow the instructions on the Rescue Remedy bottle. You will often find that one to two doses does wonders for yourself and your animal friends.
Sinéad: You will probably find that the combination of Rescue Remedy and your presence does a lot to ease your animals' trauma. However, sensitive or high-strung animals can suffer from some longer-term effects. For these animals, you may want to use some homeopathic remedies or other flower essences.
Siouxsie: It's vital that you realize that animals' behavior changes can be caused by physical injury or poisoning, too, so don't overlook the possibility that your cat is suddenly trying to bite you because he's been injured in some way that is not immediately visible to you. If there's even the slightest possibility that your animal is wounded, your first step must be to call your vet and get your animal in for an examination!
Thomas: Signs of possible internal injury include not eating, blood from the nose or mouth, cold body, fast respiration and heartbeat, and pale skin or gums. If any of your animal's limbs look distended or misshapen, there could be a broken bone or an injured ligament or tendon. If your animal is running a fever or looks flushed and is not eating, it's possible that he has an internal infection or has contracted an illness. If your animal's behavior has changed and you see these symptoms, or you see burns around their mouth or nose or on their paws, call your vet immediately.
Sinéad: Once you've made sure that your animal is uninjured, or you've taken him to the vet and gotten his injuries treated, then you can begin some treatment with homeopathic remedies.
Siouxsie: The remedy Aconite is suggested for animals suffering from fear, panic and shock.
Thomas: Animals that have become terrified of loud noises such as thunder or similar sounds, that are fearful, jumpy, restless and fidgety can benefit from Phosphorus.
Sinéad: If your animal is suffering from extreme trauma and total shock -- he seems to be almost in a stupor, his body and paws are cold -- Carbo Veg is a remedy that could help.
Siouxsie: Remedies that can help the pain of injuries include Arnica (for pain from falls or blows, bruises, bone pain or postsurgical pain), Rhus Tox (for overexertion, sprains and strains, joint and tendon injuries and morning stiffness), or Hypericum (for nerve pain, or from nerve or bone surgery after which the surgical site is extremely sensitive to touch; Mama has also used this remedy on people who have gotten a "bonk on the head" that wasn't serious enough to cause a concussion but still hurt).
Thomas: If you or your animal is grieving, due to the loss of a human or animal companion, Ignatia is the remedy of choice. This is the remedy Mama used on me when she brought me home from the Shelter. I was still heartbroken over losing my human, and then being sent back to the shelter after another family took me home. She gave me Ignatia and I stopped feeling so sad and wanting to hide in my carrier -- I actually opened the door to my room and went out to explore the rest of the house!
Sinéad: Homeopathic remedies come in a variety of doses from 6X to 1M. The "X" doses are the lowest potency and the "M" is the highest. We recommend 30C potency for dealing with emotional issues such as fear and trauma, but as our friend Kaetheryn the veterinary homeopath says, "any dosage will do -- if it's the right remedy, it'll do the job."
Siouxsie: How often should you give these homeopathic remedies? There are a couple of schools of thought, but this is what Kaetheryn Walker recommends in her book Homeopathic First Aid for Animals:
Status critical: Seek veterinary attention immediately. Give doses of four pellets each at five- to ten-minute intervals en route to your veterinarian.
Status acute: After an initial dose (four pellets), treatment may be repeated at fifteen-minute to half-hour intervals for up to four doses or until condition is relieved. If no relief is obtained, consult your veterinarian.
Status chronic: After an initial dose (four pellets), continue with two doses a day or until symptoms subside. If there is no relief, consult your veterinarian.
Thomas: Most of you will find your animals in the acute or chronic stages of their condition after you return from your evacuation.
Sinéad: But how do you administer the remedy itself? you may ask. Many authorities believe it is best not to touch the remedy (which comes in a pellet form), so they suggest dissolving the pellets in water or milk, depending on the animal's tastes. Clearly you won't want to give your goats cow's milk, for example, but a cat might be able to do with a couple of tablespoons of the stuff for the sake of swallowing a remedy. Most experts recommend giving a remedy at least 15 minutes before or after eating.
Siouxsie: It is possible to give the remedy as you would a pill. Mama has done this with us, and the remedies worked just fine even though she touched them. If you're comfortable with giving a pill, this may be the easiest way to go. Homeopathic remedy pellets are a lot smaller than pills, too, so they go down a lot easier!
Thomas: Another thing you can do to help your animals is to talk to them. Reassure them that the storm is over and they're safe now. Tell them you understand how scared they were and are, and that you're sorry you couldn't help them more while the storm was happening, and tell them that you're doing everything you can to help them now that you're back together again. We animals understand a lot more than people give us credit for, so your words won't be lost on your animal friend.
Sinéad: For those of you who weren't affected by Hurricane Katrina, you should still make sure you're ready to take care of your pets in the event of a natural (or not-so-natural) disaster in your area. There's a reason to be prepared, no matter where you live. Here in the Northeastern US, we have blizzards and ice storms that can knock out power and cause emergencies. Other areas have earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis, and so on. Here are a couple of web pages with information on how to make disaster preparations for your pets:
Siouxsie: Also, please consider making donations to or volunteering for animal rescue organizations in the Gulf Coast area. Once the storm is over, these organizations will need all the help they can get, in order to take care of their current shelter residents as well as the influx of animals abandoned as a result of the hurricane. Check the following national humane society web pages once the rebuilding begins; they are sure to have updates on the needs of animal rescue groups in the area and ways to help.
Thomas: We pray that the people and animals who had to be separated by this storm will be quickly reunited and that they will be able to help each other cope with the trauma of evacuation, disaster and rebuilding their lives together.
Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.
